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Aerobic exercise helps to improve the cardiovascular system and its efficiency. It involves steady physical activity using large muscle groups and raising the heart rate, such as walking, jogging, bicycling, or water aerobics. When you are out of shape, the heart has to beat faster to get nutrients and oxygen to the cells in your body. Excess body weight strains the heart, resulting in increased blood pressure and risk of cardiovascular disease. Physical inactivity is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, but this is a risk factor that can be changed.

Regular, moderate physical activity has many benefits for the heart and general health. Moderate activity is defined as exercising at a level that elevates the heart rate to within a safe target range. You should be able to carry on a conversation at this level (this is called the talk test). If you can only get one or two words out at a time, you need to decrease the intensity of the exercise, so that enough oxygen can be delivered to your working muscles and your heart is working in a safe range.

Physical activity has been shown to decrease blood pressure, alleviate anxiety and depression, increase HDL “good” cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity. High blood pressure makes the heart work harder than normal, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke; being 20 or more pounds overweight increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. Exercise helps to control blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. These are risk factors for cardiovascular disease that can be improved with simple lifestyle modifications.

Tips for Heart Health • Use common sense with exercise. • Stop exercising if you experience chest pain, dizziness, or light headedness. • Make time to warm up and cool down. • Exercise within your target heart rate range. • Find an aerobic activity you enjoy. Have fun.

The recommended amount of exercise is 30 minutes, 5 to 6 days a week. If you are unable to tolerate 30 minutes at one time, it can be broken down into smaller sessions during the day; build up the time slowly until you reach 30 minutes. It is also important to increase your level of activity during daily living. This could include doing housework or yard work, taking stairs, or parking farther away at work or stores.

During exercise, be sure to stay within your target heart rate range for optimal benefits. The range can be determined using this formula: subtract your age from 220, and then multiply by .5 and .8 to get the beginning and end points of the range. This will ensure that you are exercising at a safe level.
Check with a physician before beginning any exercise program. It is important to start an exercise program as early as possible before surgery to improve heart health and condition. This will help with recovery and decrease the risk of complications associated with surgery. After surgery, resume your exercise program as soon as possible to help with weight loss, improve your overall health, and prevent postoperative complications.

The main reason to exercise should be to improve health, not appearance. Strengthening your heart can make daily tasks easier, and aerobic exercise is the best way to strengthen your heart. The primary goal needs to be developing a plan that establishes a lifelong habit of physical activity. Find an exercise activity you enjoy to work your heart and improve your health. Exercise is essential for a healthy heart!

Jennifer Schwettmann, MSPT, CWS, is a physical therapist and certified wound specialist who’s worked with the bariatric community for seven years. Contact her at jennifer.schwettman@ hcahealthcare.com.
 

 

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